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What is a name? A story shrouded in Steam*critiques welcome*
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(Copied over from League of Titans website)
You find an old book in the back of a book store labeled "What is a name? A story shrouded in Steam."
A brief history must be given to understand the tale to come. As magic was restored to earth many of the realms that once connected to it also returned. One such realm of magic starts this story. It is a place of power, shrouded inside what would best be described as a pocket dimension for the scientifically inclined. This realm exists in such a potent state of magic that nearly all inhabitants are born with talents far beyond what would be considered normal on earth.
To govern and keep safe a world such as this a rather strict code, by the earths standards, is upheld. *No secret shall be kept from the watchful eyes of the magus.* Upon the delivery of a child the parents give their offspring a birth name, and it is recorded in the the logs of the magus. Once a persons full birth name is known no power in the realm can shroud the watchful eyes of the guards from seeing every action that person takes for their entire life. The birth name also allows full access to and from the realm and the outside world.
This is the only remaining record of one such child. All pertinent names have been removed for the safety of the realm.
You find an old book in the back of a book store labeled "What is a name? A story shrouded in Steam."
A brief history must be given to understand the tale to come. As magic was restored to earth many of the realms that once connected to it also returned. One such realm of magic starts this story. It is a place of power, shrouded inside what would best be described as a pocket dimension for the scientifically inclined. This realm exists in such a potent state of magic that nearly all inhabitants are born with talents far beyond what would be considered normal on earth.
To govern and keep safe a world such as this a rather strict code, by the earths standards, is upheld. *No secret shall be kept from the watchful eyes of the magus.* Upon the delivery of a child the parents give their offspring a birth name, and it is recorded in the the logs of the magus. Once a persons full birth name is known no power in the realm can shroud the watchful eyes of the guards from seeing every action that person takes for their entire life. The birth name also allows full access to and from the realm and the outside world.
This is the only remaining record of one such child. All pertinent names have been removed for the safety of the realm.
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First grandchild of the elemental Magnus of the tri-council has been born. Showing early signs of elemental
forces as his grandfather had. Birth was exceptionally easy and child was quite clean before the nurse was able to towel him off. Parents have already filed birth name, and have taken him home. Suggested course of action is regular surviellance and temporal observance to learn full potential of child.
Yearly Log 33rd year of the 67th Magus Council.
Child has shown exceptional control of mana and elemental focus. All test results show a high apptitude for elemental manipulation of multiple elements. All suggested courses of action agree on enrollment in the magus academy immediately. Parents are reluctant to the idea, feel current age is too young for removal from their house. Magus guards shall be alerted to expect trouble if removal of child is deemed neccessary for the good of the realm. Parents possess minor conjuration capabilities and should pose no serious threat.
Log 38th year of the 67th Magus Council.
Teachers have reported him a disruptive influence, uncontrolled and unrefined but calculating intellect. He regularly misses class and attempts to escape the school and interacts with the local village beyond the realms borders. Truancy officers have been put on alert but seem to be of little concern for him as he has slipped past them on multiple occassions.
Log 40th year of the 67th Magus Council.
During one of his escapes to the local village an apparent cartoon program has peaked his interest. He has doubled his previous class study load in an attempt to replicate the steam styled technology using his elemental studies. His teachers have commented on his improved attitude and though find the focus quite odd have allowed him leeway in his studies hoping it will spark interest in other areas.
Log 42nd year of the 67th Magus Council.
Having nearly completely mastered his studies on fire and water elements he has shown very little interest in other classes. His obsession with steam technology has led to several incidents with his teachers as devices he has created have caused an increasingly disruptive influence on the entire school.
Log 45th year of the 67th Magus Council
Increasing tension between teachers and fellow students has caused him to leave the academy early. Having moved back in with his parents he continues in his obsession and has refused all offers to assist in maintaining the realm as is expected of all citizens.
Having left the realm to live on earth the magus guards have requested directly to his grandfather that he be removed of his name and rights to the realm it grants. Having agreed the parents have been sent to earth to discuss this with their son. transcript to follow. B = boy, M = mother, F = Father
Portal to earth appears in front of the boy
B "So what do I owe the pleasure of this visit to portal directly in to my apartment."
F "We have something that we must discuss with you."
M "Your grandfather himself asked us to come."
B "This is not a good way to start a conversation. Hi son, how are you today, thats how you start a conversation."
M "I know son but you have to listen to us, the magus guard wants your name."
B "What??? Why would they want my name? What the hell is going on? What are you talking about?"
F "Your birth name is written into the magus registry, it allows you access to the realm as you see fit."
B "Of course."
F "The magus guard feels anyone living outside the realms reach is a security risk, and your grandfather agreed."
B "So you just are gonna take my name? What shall I be called then???"
M "You just have to pick a new name for your earth bound friends to call you. We will still know who you are of course and can reach you at any time. Blood is thicker than magic as they say."
F "If you want to return to the realm to live all you need to do is think of us and we can take you home and restore your name."
B "Fine is the old men want my name they can have it!! From this day forth I shall be known as Stan! Stanley Steam!!!"
M "Are you sure that is the name you want? It sounds a little silly to me, but we still love you and will call you son, no matter what everyone else calls you."
B "You had better go now with my name. Don't want to keep the old man waiting."
F "Your grandfather loves you very much, he has been on the Magus Council since long before you were born. His resposibilities have been to protecting the realm, but that has never meant he didnt love you."
M "Are you su...."
B "You should leave now, I see nothing else to talk about today. I love you, but tell the old magus he can keep my name I don't want it anymore."
M "You wont even remember it you know, this is final unless you decide to return. You can come home at any time. We have and always will love you."
B "Good bye, I don't think we have anything more to talk about."
Stan turns around and walks out of his apartment quite angry, a portal opens to the realm and his parents enter it.
Log concludes. The Magus Council guards have no more power or need to record the events that transpire after the child has given up his name and rights to the realm.
Log 50th year of the 67th Magus Council
The Elemental Magistrate of the 67th Magus Council has decided to visit his grandson in his new home of Millenium City. Transcript to follow.
Magus "Hello boy"
Startled Stanley jumps out of bed and quickly covers himself in a blanket. "Who are you?"
Magus "You don't recognize your own grandfather, I have been too busy the last few decades I will admit but that is hard for these old bones to hear all the same."
Stanley "Grandfather? What are you doing here, I havnt heard from anyone since you forced mom and dad to take my name!"
Magus "It was for your own good as well as the good of the realm I assure you, Stanley now isnt it?"
Stanley "Ohh really, how is taking MY name good for me! I don't even remember my own name, its been erased from all my memories, why didnt you just take my memories too! Leave me an amnesiac laying in a ditch somewhere!?!"
Magus "I assure you it was the hardest descision I have ever made in my fifty years on the council. But I made it all the same. Now I came to talk to you about that and thats what I will do! If I have to silence you first by the gods I will, and we both know I have the power to do it!"
Stanley "Ok fine talk."
Magus "I'll tell you a story nearly a hundred years old now, its a true story so listen well."
The Magus walks over and sits on the couch in kind of a slouch Stanley would recognize if he ever watched himself sit on the couch in a mirror.
Magus "The story starts off much like yours did, a brilliant young handsome lad had magical talents the likes of which no one had seen in one so young. Not quite sure what to do he was sent to an academy, the same academy you were sent to in fact. But he hated the rules and the regulations, and the guard constantly watching him, so he studied and planned and designed spells to fog the guards vision of him. Soon he was kicked out of school and even the realm for breaking the most sacred of laws. Unlike you though his name was taken from him against his will. But like you Stan his parents connection to him was made more difficult to lessen the chance of anyone finding the realm."
The Magus sits up obviously more excited about this part of the tale.
"This is where the story gets good, having no name or place to live he sets out on his own. This was even before the village near the realm existed. So our hero just starts walking into the wilderness of this brand new world he knew nothing about. Practicing his magic just to stay alive he eventually finds a road and follows it. Not knowing how rare magic such as his was back then when he arrived at the first town on the road he conjured up a torch and was seen by the a few people that reacted with shock and awe, especially one beautiful lass, her legs were the longest, and her chest was ...... emmmm, nevermind the rest of that story can be saved for a later time."
The Magus, no his grandfather, looks Stan straight in the eyes
"The moral to the story is I was that boy, and I lost my name as well. But I became a hero and eventually returned and became a part of the Magus Council."
Stan "How did you get your name back."
Gramps "I never did, I figured out my True Name."
Stan "True name? I've read it in text books but just assumed it was a persons name."
Gramps "No no no, most peoples birth name is the only name they know, that is fact. But a birth name is what you are given by your parents. A True Name is one you find yourself, its not just what people call you, its who you really are."
Gramps "You have combined all the elements. You use fire and water to manipulate earth and air. Do you know how rare a gift that is? Once you have trully mastered your skills you shall know your True Name."
Gramps "And when you find your true name, you will be able to enter the realm again a free man. No one can control a trully free man."
And with that the Elemental Magistrate of the 67th Magus Council left his grandsons apartment as abruptly as he had entered. All records have ended here of the boy now called Stanley Steam. We shall continue to keep his family clouded from his senses as a precautionary measure.
I have finally found an abandoned apartment building I was able to live in without having a job, I've decided to start this journal. It helps me feel a little more like home. Back home everything is secure and safe, not to mentions boring and controlled. But here on Earth things are so different, so random. Just to find a place to live I had to fight off dogs and rats, I don't know how I'm going to afford to even eat here. I found this place by accident. The upper floors are secluded and the stair case was damaged severally and is filled with debris, the only way in is from the roof entrance. Finding my place here will be tough, I know I have to though because I won't return to the realm.
March 13th
I met a girl today while I was working as a box boy at a nearby store. Her name was Jennifer, I've never met anyone like her back in the realm. She seems so forward, and yet somehow hidden. Back home everyone knows everybody else secrets thanks to the magus council records, not here, here no one knows anything about anyone else. It seems almost like an alien world to me. I've started trying to clean up my neighborhood at night, most of the time everyone just ignores each other but not the black aces guys. They push everyone around and try to scare anyone they meet away. I'm not scared of them, the magus guards were far more dangerous, these thugs don't even have magic.
March 15th
Jennifer and I went to the movies tonight. Entertainment here is so much more visibly stimulating than in the realm, but there you actual see yourself as part of the story, just with less explosions and car chases. It was a fun night, but I'm afraid I won't be able to see her for a while. She's going off to college on the other side of town and it'll be difficult to get back to west side regularly until her schedule calms down.
School is school no matter what realm you live in I guess.
April 5th
I had another run in with the black aces tonight. Their thug of a local leader was trying to force my boss to pay "protection" money. After work I showed him and his gang you don't mess with my friends. Didn't hurt them too bad, just a little fire and a good shower afterwords.
April 6th
The black aces burned down the store I work at, used to work at, last night after I thought I had run them off. I don't understand why they didn't just leave him alone like I told them too. Time for another visit tonight. See if a nice steam bath will teach them a thing or two with my latest invention. I've finally managed to bind a small fire elemental and water elemental inside a containment unit to create a constant supply of steam. PS, no more trying to trick them to do what I want, the last time I tried this they fought each other and created enough pressure to blow out every window on one side of my building when the container exploded.
April 10th
I finally think I got through to the black ace gang. I know a few of them followed me home but weren't able to get up the stairs to my place. My new rocket boots aren't quite as elegant as the flying spell everyone used in the realm but the stabilized steam container is working great as long as I release the elementals after a good nights work. Three days of harassment and today the gang finally left me alone, I need to get some more plywood for the windows that they broke out.
April 27th
Today I was toying around with some of the metal scraps I'd collected from the rubble that weren't strong enough to use for steam inventions. I created a gargoyle statue with lots of pointy bits on the wings and claws. Putting on the corner of the roof as a joke so all could see, some rich guy was flying by in a helicopter and saw it and paid me over a thousand dollars right then and there for it. He told me if I could make more statues and artworks like that he could sell them for me to his friends. No idea why anyone would want bits of bent metal that had no real value to them, but money is money and after the fire at the store I need some to be able to buy food and clothes with.
May 1st
Jennifer called me today, we talked for a couple hours about my new job as an artiste. She seems really excited about college, her courses are going great, and she's having a lot of fun with her fellow students. It kind of bummed me out, but we decided to meet next week so we could just hang out in the ren center for a few hours. The towers are still under construction but the landscaping is beautiful and she loves to just wander around it in circles while we talk.
What the hell happened today? I met Jennifer today at the ren center as planned. MY GODS What happened today??? I need to write, I need to tell someone, I don't know what to do. We were just walking, just walking! It was like one second everything was perfect the next there was blood everywhere! I don't even know why I'm writing in this stupid book, its not like it matters anymore, nothing seems to matter right now. But it helps to get it out to let it be known even if its just to ink and parchment. Ok ok.
I met Jennifer today at the ren center as planned. We were talking about some girls she's been hanging out with and that her science classes were giving her a headache. I was just listening as she talked so excitedly about it. Completely oblivious to the fact that today was the last day I will ever see her again. But we had just gotten a couple hot dogs from a street vendor and were sitting there on a bench eating them when it happened. I was staring at her eyes, hoping she didn't notice the puppy dog look in mine. I didn't even hear the shots, I just saw the blood explode from her chest. As quickly as that happened I felt a bullet rip through my arm before I could even react my elementals reacted for me and created an aura of blue flame surrounding me. The next couple bullets just sorta melted against the flames and evaporated. I turned at looked at our attacker. It was a black ace gang member, they hadn't bothered me in weeks, why now, why her??? Had they been following me this entire time trying to find a weakness? Before my mind could even finish pondering these thoughts my subconscious reacted sending a burst of flame and water directly at our assailant. I have never seen anything as gruesome as I did when I caught my senses, he was alive but barely. His gun had melted to his wrist, what was left of it. The rest of his body, I can't even think of what I did to the rest of his body with that boiling water out of control. I can never lose control like that again. But Jennifer poor Jen, when I turned back the bench was on fire. My god what have I done, she was shot and burned and it was all my fault! I quickly put out the fire and tried to dress the wound and used what little healing magic I knew on her. Her hair was burned, oh the smell, it was her eyes that burned my soul though. Barely able to move her eyes showed the true fear she had towards me. The paramedics wouldn't let me ride with her to the hospital, I'm not sure I could stand to have her stare at me like that the entire time anyways. Now I know why the super heroes in this town where masks. Tomorrow I will make a mask, but tonight I want them to know who they messed with. I hope the doctors can help Jennifer, but I'll make sure the black aces know not to go after anyone elses Jennifer.
"But grandpa! What happened next?" both of the kids whined sitting while sitting eagerly on the floor of the study.
"Did he beat up the bad guys?" the boy asks
"Is Jennifer ok?" nervously slips out of the girls lips
"Come now children, its your bedtime, and you parents will scold ME if I let you stay up all night, again."
"But is that all their is?" the boy pipes in again
"Of course not. That's just the end of his journal. Steam has many adventures after that, but realized he can't write about them for fear that someone can find the book and hurt his friends again."
"Now if your good kids and go get ready for bed. I'll tell you about his adventure that night after your all tucked in."
As the grandkids run off to get ready for bed as fast as they can he stands up and glances at the scar on his arm. A brief yet pained smile crosses his face.
Tucked into bed, the children waited patiently. For about twenty seconds, then he heard them calling "Grannnnnnndpa, we're waiting patiently in bed."
Chuckling to himself he walked down the hall and to their room, he sat slowly on his granddaughters bed. Slowly preparing himself for the story to come as he watched their anticipation grow nearly out of control.
"So where was I? Oh yes, thats right the ancient story of Julius Cesar."
"Grandpa!!!" was heard in unison.
"Oh yes, yes, calm down, I'll tell you of the dark night shrouded in Steam."
Not knowing the fate of Jennifer, but being fully aware of the impending doom of the Black Aces. Steam donned his suit and hat imbued with elemental magics for protection and several of his new steam gadgets. The fog was rolling in from the docks as he flew off into the darkness. Headed straight for the run down apartments the local black aces called home. Stan patiently waited until the fog surrounded the building. Having some cover, and knowing the right spells to be able to see through it unimpeded, he landed on the roof with a crashing boom. The guards quickly turned and opened fire blindly into the mist but hit nothing as he stepped out of their line of fire. As quickly as it started the sound died as the guns clips were emptied into nothingness, the guards pulled knives and rushed into the cloud of vapor determined to finish anything that still lived. All that were heard was screams as the cloud suddenly dissapated around them in a wave of hot air. Stan was standing there with the three unconscious bodies lying in a circle around him their skin red as if it had just dipped thier arms in boiling water. Knowing more would be coming soon and being able to bottle neck them at the door to the room he summoned a couple loyal fire and water elementals to his side and prepared himself for what was to come. As the gang members swarmed up the stairs and out the door the fog had returned to the roof. Searching everywhere they only found their own men lying on the ground. Several floors below the leader of the black aces stood with a smirk on his face.
"How stupid does someone have to be to attack us at our own building?" smiling as he said it. He was a leader of one of the most feared gangs in Millenium City. No one could stand against him.
"Pretty stupid boss, specially to make so much noise doing it." said one of his grunts with a assault rifle.
*THUD*
"What was that?" before the boss had even turned around he felt the steam on his back, and saw it slowly surrounding him. Then he heard.
"Pretty stupid indeed boss, to send all your men to the roof leaving one idiot behind to guard you."
The boss spun around with his pistols ready and opened fire, but all he could see was a cloud of steam. He emptied his guns into it.
"You missed me."
"My men will be back down here any second once they realize what you've done."
"Your men don't care enough about you to get passed the fires I set in the stair wells between this floor and all the other floors. Oh and the elevator is Out of Service lets just say."
"What do you want?"
"Its not what I want, its what I wanted. And that you took away from me." As the gang boss heard those words he could feel the vapors surrounding him getting suddenly hotter. Then the voice continues.
"Do you know what happens when water is heated past the boiling point? I'll tell you it turns to steam, and that steam creates pressure. Now I've magically sealed this floor off so the pressure can build up nice and high. How much pressure do you think a human body can take. I've never actually looked it up, so it'll be interesting to see."
"Please. Please! Don't do this, you'll regret it! I don't even know who you are, or what I did to **** you off. But there are more black aces out there to take my place. Killing me won't stop us all." whined the boss.
"No but all the other black aces didn't order a hit on me and my girlfriend today. No that was all you."
"You, your that magic brat that kept harassing my men. So I sent him to teach you a lesson. And now I'll teach you one!" he yelled as he finished reloading his pistols and opened fire again in the direction the voice was coming from. His eyes grew about three times their normal size as he watched the bullets explode into thin air the moment they left his gun as a massive rush of heat enveloped him. All he remembered days later when he woke up in the high security ward of the hospital was being blown out of a window from the pressure and landing in a dumpster.
Jennifer had woken up the day after it happened freshly out of a four hour surgery, to repair the damage the bullet had done, to find a bouquet of red and blue roses and a small note.
[My dearest Jennifer, its my fault this has all happened to you and I am sorry. The apartment I was living in is empty and I won't put you in danger again by telling you where I'm going. Love Stanley]
"And that was the day the hero you know of as Steam was born. Stanley used his skills to build himself an actual metal suit and bound his most loyal elementals into the pack to create a never ending supply of steam for him to fight crime with. He found a warehouse in a different area and set up improving it so he could use it as his home and base. He still made metal sculptures for people but did it under an alias so no one in the black aces could find him and hurt his friends ever again."
"I love that story grandpa" young Stanley said as his grandfather kissed him on the forehead and tucked him in.
"I love that story too grandpa." little Jen whispered as it was her turn to be tucked in. "But did he ever see Jennifer again? What happened next?"
"Yes, please tell us!." they said in unison once again.
"Now now children, such stories can wait till a later date. It's your bedtime. Good night." he shut off the light and went back to the den to sit in front of the fireplace and remember the stories of his youth.
you my friend are talented in your storytelling.
Name. n. A commonly agreed upon set and order of syllables used for the purpose of identification of a specified noun to which the syllables are applied.
(Sorry; couldn't resist XD)
Or if you want the textbook definition: "A word or words by which an entity is designated and distinguished from others." This fails to consider that (for example) "James" is not an actual word, while still being a name.